U-571

Old fashioned WWII thrills go digital

There can never be enough submarine movies. RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP was a great Lancaster/Gable film, DAS BOOT is the high water mark for the genre, and THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER lurks just beyond. CRIMSON TIDE even packs a solid punch. There's something about the claustrophobic metal belly of a sub that is extremely cinematic even though there's little opportunity for visual derring-do.

Jonathan Mostow had just come off a sleep hit with BREAKDOWN and decided to blow some crap up in his next film (it's the next logical step after dropping a semi on J.T. Walsh's head). The result was this film, which managed to cross the 100 million mark amidst mixed reviews and competition of all sorts.

Now it's here in a snazzy "Collector's Edition".

More metal than a Slayer concert.

The Movie The second great war is upon us and any edge against the marauding Axis forces is vital. A potential salvation arises in the damaging of a German U-Boat that carries the ENIGMA machine. Is it a device that plays haunting new age music? No, wrong Enigma.

Early days in proctology.

There's a little static. Our hero (McConaughey) has been deprived of his own sub to command, and feels a little underappreciated by his commander (Paxton, looking appropriately military) so when he's sent on this new mission and forced to take orders from not only his commander but others (Jake Weber, David Keith), there's tension.

"This is the last time I let you get seats for the football games."

It helps set the stage as we're introduced to our ragtag group of soldiers (Jon Bon Jovi, Harvey Kietel, etc.) and head out to sea.

TWIN FREAKS: Fire Walk All Over Me.

Of course, once the crew (posing as a German rescue team) arrives, things go wrong. Cut down to a small crew, they're forced to pilot the hobbled German craft against all odds.

The story is fairly straightforward (and a work of fiction, as the British REALLY stole the device), and the brunt of the film's potential for success is in the action and the performances. Thankfully, the film is packed with grade A talent.

"Damn Chili does it to me every time!"

McConaughey is a solid leading man, and he gets a role that allows him to keep his happy-go-lucky persona in the background. In this film, he's tough. Driven. Kietel has a solid supporting role which finally has him as a likable (and clothed!) character. He wars it well, as does Bon Jovi and the younger actors filling out the crew. Jake Weber is a very underused talent whose work in Meet Joe Black and Pushing Tin have helped give him a very chameleon-like career (some mistake him for Tim Roth). The Germans are also solid, especially the man playing the Captain of the damaged sub.

Who cares if there's a script? Muzzle flares are great!

Then there's the action. Mostow proved he can do a lot with very little, and he makes this film look like 150 million bucks. Filmed in a very old fashioned, but "Event Picture" style, it uses the fire and fury of the setting and really sells the idea. Richard Marvin's music provides amble ambiance, and the explosions and ballistics are cranked to 11. Also, some of the most amazing underwater explosions ever seen are on hand to seal the deal. It's an aural and visual feast.

The problems that exist keep the film from being mentioned in the same breath as the ones above are these:

It never really has that "Oomph" that gets audiences going. Nowadays it takes something unique to make an action film work. That, or Chris Tucker.

Also, there's an abundance of dipping into the same well where the whole crew quietly waits for "splashes" to result in a depth charge obliterating them and all they love.

Small worries, this kind of film is a welcome change of pace during a poor cinematic year like this one.

7 out of 10

"Harvey, promise me you're not going to whip it out in this movie."

The Video Subpar. Get it?

Let me elaborate. There are times when this DVD looks like it was crafted in heaven and delivered by UPS to your door. Other times it looks like Blind Boy Grunt was at the console... but only for a second. It's never bad for long, but it mars what could have been a GIANT showcase title. Where does it go wrong?

It's never about "not enough" but "too much" rather. They really overenhanced some of the more intense scenes, primarily the big explosions. If you really look for little instances like this, you'll catch them but they're thankfully not going to ruin the experience.

The "Universal Collector's Editions" usually excel here. Oh well. 7 out of 10

Matt ponders what battleship offers bongos.

The Audio DTS and Dolby 5.1! Not only that, everywhere that the video was disappointing this one is TOP DOG! I could use big fancy words and describe the rich, bombastic presentation here and liken it to a fistfight on Mt. Olympus. I could compare it to the sound of the Seraphim coming from the heavens and Lord Posieden surfacing for a snack.

I won't.

If you consider yourself an audiophile, GET THIS DVD. It will knock your shorts off. 10 out of 10

This is ROBUST package (I think I heard that comment in SLUTZ 4: The Return). Mostow is VERY good at the mic, and his opinions and vignettes manage to stay fresh throughout the running time. He's the kind of filmmaker we need more of: The guys who want to make good, entertaining films and weren't weaned on music videos. He's a mature director very early into his career. Good stuff.

"Oh that's just my pet snake Reggie!"

The feature on the ENIGMA device is sharp, and there's a series of little documentaries and featurettes (female features?). All of which you'll watch once and never glance at again, but they help justify the purchase, don't they?

There's a neat interview with a real sub skipper and an assortment of other things that'll keep you satiated. DVD was meant for this stuff, and while a lot of it is filler, it's all gravy.8 out of 10

Not quite the sum of its parts, but a solid purchase. To be honest, the film lost a little in the transition to home.